Olivia Berger

The philosophy of my art can be described as a trinity of People, Colors and Geometry. I credit my position between both a German and Mauritian identity as nourishing my creativity and curiosity in the world. However, growing up with the polarity of two cultural background often lent itself to a lonely existence, whereby I questioned my belonging to each culture and in doing so, felt a lack of belonging altogether. I am not white, nor am I black - I am simultaneously the existence of both and neither.

 

From this questioning of my identity was born a quest for depicting figures, and in particular the portraits of these figures, in what has become an attempt to capture the window to the heart and soul. The face portrays one's strengh, mystery and infinite changeability and invites the viewer to unravel the story behind the individual.

 

My use of bright, contrasting and strong colors is a nod to the palette that is the Mauritian landscape in all of its tropical and exotic nature. These colors are directly related to my childhood; from the luminosity of the ocean to the glow of the birds and flowers. In contrast, my use of dark colors portrays the vulnerability that is usually hidden from the world.

 

While my Mauritian identity is my mother and figures, my German identity is Geometry, my father and all that is logical, sharp and clear. Before he passed away when I was aged sixteen, he introduced to me ideas of the universe, science and metaphysics. These ideas began to develop in my art as a focus on the role of geometry and it's inherent nature in the world. My artworks are the osmosis of the clear and sharp with the intuitive and organic. It is union of my contrasting identities and is a study into the union of minds, borders and emotions.